"What are we going to do Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked with tears in her eyes.
Mamoru had returned a little while ago and they were sitting on the brown leather couch in Mamoru's apartment. He sat thoughtfully both hands clasping his tea. It was bright outside and they could hear the steady beat of incredibly loud music playing close by.
"I'm not sure. Don't worry about the scouts. They can take care of themselves Usagi." He said switching on the TV.
"Well it's almost time to return to school and the weather is fine. The strange monsters that have been appearing lately seemed to have cleaned up thanks to the Tokyo Police Force…"
"What? We get no respect!" Usagi said turning off the TV shaking her head.
"Well it's better this way. Now we won't have stalkers or anyone trying to act like us. It was bad enough Sailor V went public"
"Yeah I guess. I'd just like some appreciation once in a while." She said sighing. She was almost sorry they had sent the two girls home. It was so quiet since they left.
"There's nothing we can do but wait Usagi. And we can go visit the girls if you want."
"But I hate waiting."
"Come on, let's go to the arcade. Maybe video games can cheer you up." He said. Usagi smiled a bit and she stood up and grabbed her jacket.
Mamoru and Usagi walked to the arcade silently. Mamoru stuck his hands in his pockets and sighed.
"I wonder how Motoki is doing I haven't seen him since I was captured by Galaxia"
"I'm sure he'll be glad to see you" Usagi said smiling and putting her arm in his.
Usagi and Mamoru walked into the arcade and she instantly disappeared.
'I thought that would cheer her up' He smiled and walked up to the counter.
"Hi Unazuki. Where's Motoki?" Mamoru asked the girl standing at the counter.
"Didn't you hear? Motoki left for college a while ago… I thought you went too…"
"Well there was a complication." Mamoru said frowning.
'He's not here Usagi'
'Sailor V Smash! Ahh!'
Mamoru rolled his eyes and chuckled.
"What is it Mamoru?" Unazuki asked
"Oh nothing it's just Usagi."
"Oh you're here with Usagi?" Unazuki raised an eyebrow. "I thought you two were fighting."
"No. We're okay." He smiled. "Can I have a coffee?"
"Sure" Unazuki said winking. "Two?"
"Hehe no. Usagi is wrapped up in Sailor V. She needs some distraction."
"Why would she need distraction?" Unazuki said as she stopped drying one of the dishes and stared at him akwardly.
Mamoru looked away 'Well all of her friends who are really the sailor senshi were sucked into another dimension by our regularly combated foes the dark moon' Unazuki took notice of the glance downwards and awkwardness from Mamoru. She leaned forward at the desk to look at Usagi who, from her vantage point, seemed to be looking worried and rubbing her tummy (she was playing Sailor V) Unazuki gasped.
"Mamoru-san! You didn't!"
"I didn't wh… no! No I didn't!"
Unazuki glanced at Usagi again, "Are you sure?"
Mamoru looked over at Usagi and saw what Unazuki was seeing and almost fell off his stool.
"She's not rubbing her tummy! She's playing Sailor V!" He said frustrated sipping his coffee.
"Fine, fine I shouldn't have thought that she's not even living with you," she said chuckling. Another uncomfortable silence fell over Mamoru
"No way!" Unazuki said laughing.
Usagi looked up from her game because she felt a strong emotion coming from Mamoru. She saw him blushing and Unazuki gawking at him smiling. She then looked up and caught her eye giving her the thumbs up. Usagi looked strangely at her.
"Errr…"
"She found out you are living with me."
Usagi brightened at that thought. 'I hadn't thought of it that way' she grinned happily and image bubbles appeared of her and Darien in his apartment with a christmas tree with three kids laughing happily opening gifts.
"Calling Usako! We already have a daughter!"
"Oh yeah! Hehe"
Usagi zoned back into the real word as the beeping of the machine she was standing at slowed and flashing caught her eye. She turned to see the words "GAME OVER" flashing on and off on the screen.
"IAAA!" she said grumbling and fishing for a new quarter.
Chibi Usa laughed as she watched Hotaru comically lick the dripping ice cream all over her face. She was feeling much better already. 'Going out was a good idea' She returned to reality as she almost walked into a bench and quickly apologized to it.
Hotaru laughed. "Usa-chan! Earth to Usa! Watch where you're going!"
Chibi Usa laughed and stepped around the bench carefully leaving her attention on the obstacles. Her and Hotaru were headed for the arcade and had stopped to get ice cream because of the hot day.
"It's so sad. Summer is going soon. This may be the last hot day we'll have."
"Yeah… well just think we get to go to Juuban this year!"
"Yeah that'll be fun"
Silence fell and Usa finished her ice cream cone quickly leaving Hotaru to her thoughts. Hotaru seemed so care free. She watched as Hotaru licked the runaway drips of the melting sherbet. 'How can she be so calm?'
"Ooo we're there!" She said throwing away the soggy napkin sticky with melting icecream.
"Jeez it's like you've never been to the arcade before!"
"Well I haven't been here too many times."
"There's no such thing as visiting the arcade too many times! I heard they've got a new Sailor V game out. Let's go there first."
Usa raced in through the automatic doors and felt the cool air rush in on her. She was glad for the relief and quickly skidded around to the games.
"Usagi! What are you doing here meatball brains!" She said spying Usagi, tongue sticking out in concentration, playing on the new Sailor V game."
Usa felt a tap on the shoulder and she turned around, it was a boy she'd seen at school before.
"Do you know her?"
"Yeah she's my M… sister"
"Can you get her off of that machine she's been on it for half an hour were getting tired of waiting!"
Usa looked around to see the many boys sitting around lazily staring at the ecstatic blonde haired girl. She rolled her eyes.
"Come on Usagi!" She said grabbing Usagi by the pigtail and dragging her to the counter. 'Looks like we don't get to play that game' she said sighing listening to the excited whoops of the boys lining up to play.
Usagi complained loudly and tried to get Usa's vice-like grip off of her head and run back to the game.
"Get back from my game! That's a high score!" She said yelling at the boys.
"Game Over" An electronic female voice said from the machine.
"Nooooo!" Usagi said with tears in her eyes.
She straightened up slowly to scold Usa and turned around only to meet face to face with a smiling Mamoru. She brightened up and hugged him happily. Mamuro smiled at Usa over Usagi's shoulder and Usa breathed a sigh of relief. Usagi would forget all about scolding her, for now. Usa looked around for Hotaru who she found sitting in a booth slowly sipping hot tea.
"You don't want to play games?"
"No, I suddenly got really tired," She responded taking another sip.
"Okay," I said plopping down beside her
'I wonder what happened what's she thinking about'
"Hot.."
"It's Michiru," She said swirling her tea and looking into it.
"What's happened?"
"I can't find her at all anymore she has blocked us off completely. Something is wrong."
"Nothing a Lunar Mind Meld won't fix. Right?"
"I don't know Chibi Usa-chan,"
Hotaru looked up and Usa could see the trace of tears fluttering under her eyelids.
"It'll be okay" I said almost whispering. I repeated it again in my mind to convince myself.
'let's see she should be just about…'
"Ami!"
'here.'
"Rei! I'm so glad to see you!"
Ami hugged Rei and then looked around.
"Any ideas yet on where we are?"
"No,"
Suddenly they heard screaming from off in the distance.
"Transform!" Ami yelled.
They reached for their transformation pens.
"It's not there!" Rei gasped checking all of her pockets.
"Mine's not there either, they must have been taken off of us. But we have to go anyway that's probably Minako. My scanner tells me she's in that direction,"
The two girls took off at a run towards the scream. As they arrived they saw sure enough that it was Minako. She was kneeled on the ground clutching her head with Kyuden standing triumphantly in front of her.
"You girls aren't even worth the trouble without your pens." As he said this he produced 7 pens that floated in a semi circle behind him. The pens had been changed and they now all resembled each other and were different shades of gray.
"Minako!" Rei called.
Minako looked up but didn't respond she just closed her eyes and clenched her teeth fighting the pain. The others were starting to arrive Setsuna and Haruka came in from the back and Motoko ran in behind Kyuden. Seeing the situation she took a running leap and body chucked Kyuden. As she was about to make contact Kyuden whirled around and stuck out his hand creating a black shield. Motoko hit her head and fell back clutching it.
"I..m, sorry… Usagi," They heard Minako whisper before she fell to the ground. A golden light shaped like a heart rose from the unconscious girl and it flew off into space.
"Minako!" They all yelled at once. Except for Haruka who was standing around looking for Michiru.
Kyuden laughed, "If you are looking to get me that is impossible. I have already beaten two of your friends."
"Two!" Haruka shouted pulling out a fist. Kyuden laughed again noting to himself that he was completely in control.
"Michiru!" He yelled. There was a flash and Michiru stepped from behind him.
"Hai Kyuden-sama," She had her hair tied back and was wearing a revealing costume.
"Michiru!" Haruka yelled launching herself at Michiru. She pulled her into a close hug and then stuttered falling backwards.
Her eyes rolled back into her head and she looked up as best she could. The other scouts were surrounding her glaring at Michiru. Michiru stood with her fist outstretched which had evidently made contact with Haruka's stomach. Michiru smirked and drew back her fist laughing as Haruka gained strength and hid her tears.
"Michiru-san! How could you do this!" Rei cried out. "Don't you remember us at all!"
'She'll break out of it… she has to. She has the power she's done it before' Rei thought flashing back to when Michiru and Haruka had been under Chaos' control using her bracelets. 'That's it she must be pretending!' But then she heard Haruka groan still doubled over. 'She is definitely not faking it.' She glared at Kyuden as he started to laugh.
"That will be all Michiru." Kyuden said. He snapped his fingers she disappeared.
A faint "Hai" blew across their ears.
"Now, who is next?" He said rubbing his hands together looking to each girl. His eyes settled on Makoto.
"You," He said laughing evily.
He held his hands slightly apart and green and black lightning jumped from hand to hand He grinned in the strange shadows it made and looked at the fearful Makoto.
"Leave Mako…" Rei began running towards Makoto. She never made it because Kyuden without shifting his head moved his hand and fired at Rei who went flying back into Ami.
Kyuden's lightning was getting brighter and faster by the second. Fear shone in Haruka's eyes when suddenly she shot out her hand and her henshin pen shot out to her.
"Jupiter Star Power!" She yelled holding it in her hand. But she was too late Kyuden thrust his hands outwards and the blast hit Makoto in the stomach. She fell clutching her head similar to Minako. Her black henshin pen fell to the ground with a clatter beside her.
"Makoto!" They all yelled crowding around her. They all glared at Kyuden as Makoto screamed and a green lightning bolt shot from her.
"You! You will no be forgiven!" Haruka yelled standing up.
"Girls! He can't stop all of us!"
All the girls reached out their hands and their henshin pens came flying to them.
"Uranus Star Power!"
"Mercury Star Power!"
"Mars Star Power!"
"Pluto Star Power!"
Someone chuckled behind them as they didn't transform.
"What happened!" Ami yelled.
"Wrong transformation phrase girls!" A familiar voice said evilly behind them. They turned around to see Minako standing up with her hands on her hips cackling at them.
"Minako!" The inners yelled in unison.
"Stay back that is not the Minako we know!" Setsuna yelled.
The girls back up and they jumped as Venus's henshin pen flew to her hand.
"Venus Dark Star Power!" In a flash of dark light Minako transformed and stood in front of her.
The fuku had changed to black with dark yellow trimmings. It was even shorter then usual (if possible) and she was wearing a halter top. Her Tiara had been replaced with Kyuden's symbol. Her hair was held back in a black bow and her earrings were little black stars.
"Jupiter Dark Star Power!" Jupiter emerged from a flash of dark light dressed in the same attire as Venus but with dark green trimmings.
They both vanished and appeared on either side of Kyuden. They smirked at the gawking girls and awaited Kyuden's command.
"Have your fun. Beat them up a bit before I convert them." Kyuden said
"Usagi! Big trouble! Please don't give up Usagi" Ami said.
"Don't worry I will send her a dream. She will be alright." Setsuna said looking at Ami.
"Where's the two little ones?" Kyuden asked. A scanner flipped down over his eye and a red light flashed hurriedly. Kyuden scowled for a minute and then fear struck his face. He quickly beat it down but it was apparent he had found them. "So. Your friends have escaped me. For now. You will help me defeat them." He laughed as the lightning in his hands resumed.
"Venus, Jupiter, Neptune!"
"Yes,"
"Go to earth and hunt down the small ones."
"Whatever you wish," The girls disappeared in a blink and Kyuden's attack finished energizing. He stuck out his hands and it struck the whole group of them. They dropped to there knees and fell back in different positions. They all groaned and then eventually one by one they screamed.
Ami had been thrown to the ground with the attack and was now holding her head fighting it. The electricity flowed through her brain tearing her memory from her. "No!" She whispered feircely. But then she stopped moving and collapsed, her mouth open in a scream that never came. A blue water drop adorned with Mercury's symbol appeared over her head and it flew away.
Haruka sat on the ground calmly not resisting the blast. 'I can be with my Michiru' she thought as her mind went blank and she fainted. Her symbol on a planet appeared and flew off. Rei sat near her and crawled over to her. "Don't give up so easily! Coward!" She yelled at he unconscious Haruka. She stood slowly and glared at Kyuden.
"INSERT EVIL SPIRIT PHRASE"
A scroll shot from her hands and landed on Kyuden. She then fell clutching her head breathing heavily.
"A piece of paper? Please!" Kyuden said turning to peel it off. When he touched it a red flame ignited and red lightning crackled all over his body. He yelled in agony. "How can this be! You aren't in Sailor Form!" He fell to the ground and put his two fingers to his forehead and concentrated. The scroll broke in two and a red bird with Mars's symbol on it flew from it screeching.
Tears filled her eyes as se heard Pluto scream and looked over to see her sign on a planet fly away.
'I'm the only one left, I… can't… give up…' she fainted with her last thoughts trying hard to stand again. Her last vision was Ami and Haruka waking up and talking with Kyuden.
"Can't… give… up!" she said slowly attracting the attention of he scouts. She watched as Ami came over.
"Aww Rei." Then she grinned and kicked Rei in the stomach and everything went black.